A NEIL Danns debut, Hartlepool United and Queen's Park Rangers all in one afternoon - there was probably only ever going to be one outcome.

Pool's new temporary signing Danns made his Blackpool loan debut earlier this season against QPR and lost 5-0; he played for Blackpool when they thumped an insipid Pool 4-0 last October; QPR turned Pool over 4-1 at Loftus Road earlier this season.

Given the history, perhaps it's no surprise that Pool were turned over by the same scoreline this time around.

This was Pool's biggest home defeat since Macclesfield eased four past Andy Dibble over four years ago. QPR are the first team to do the double over Pool since Cheltenham beat them home and away in the 2001/2 season.

Proof it takes something special to regularly get the better of Pool and Ian Holloway's team fits into that category.

At Loftus Road last December, Pool were punched into submission by a quick-fire burst of attacking football. On Saturday, after a flat first-half, Rangers made the most of some slipshod defending and punished Pool at every chance.

Those who watched the Loftus Road defeat could be forgiven for having a sense of inevitablility when Paul Furlong opened the scoring three minutes into the second half; after all they had seen Pool pummelled by Rangers before. Few teams have stopped Pool playing their normal game this season, but Rangers managed to prevent Neale Cooper's side passing the ball around in their usual style.

They harassed and closed down quickly every time Pool had the ball and punished every little mistake in the second half.

A let down in front of their second biggest home crowd of the season and Pool will hope that those making a rare visit to Victoria Park won't be put off and will return when Stockport visit tomorrow night.

Chances are they won't though and will have gone home grumbling how they are always let down and won't be back for another ten years.

Pool had the clearest chance of the first-half, Hugh Robertson's deft pass pushed Eifion Williams in on goal and, with the striker in great scoring form, it was odds on he would beat debutant goalkeeper Lee Camp. Instead the keeper closed Williams down and blocked his effort as he went straight at the keeper. Until Joel Porter slammed in a late goal that was about it as far as chances go for Pool.

Danns, signed from Blackburn on Friday, could have been forgiven for wondering what he has let himself in for. His last encounter with Pool was when he beat them into submission for Blackpool, Pool's worst display of the season.

At least he knows the real Hartlepool United is out there and the 21-year-old Scouser admitted: "Funnily enough, when I was at Blackpool, first game of the season we played QPR and lost 5-0, so I know what they can do. For a start, I'm not going to make a debut for anyone against them again.

"I haven't seen the best of Hartlepool yet - what I can vaguely remember of the game at Blackpool as well - and I am sure there is definitely more to come from them.

"Sometimes things don't go your way and this was one of those games.

"We didn't start well at all and it went from there. Sometimes you get days like that. The lads have gone into the game with three wins so I know they can do more.

"It was only my first game and now I've got to be a strong enough character to make the second one better - I haven't shown what I can do yet and hopefully on Tuesday I can show what I am capable of.''

He added: "I've only trained with the lads once before the game and maybe that has affected things a little bit. I trained on Friday, but we didn't do much and I didn't really know the lads and the way they all play.

"I played plenty of games for Blackpool and I know what this division is about. I'm very confident in my own ability and I can settle into this team and we can get better.''

Danns was never allowed to get involved on Saturday, the QPR pairing of Mark Bircham and Rowlands were all over the Pool midfield.

Disappointingly, after showing so much promise the previous week, Steven Carson stuttered through the game, seeing little of the ball, before he was replaced.

Micky Nelson swirled a volley over the bar in the first-half after Camp dropped a corner before Williams' costly miss.

The second-half was in it's infancy when Furlong played a one-two with Kevin Gallen, raced into the area and lifted an angled shot over Jim Provett. Four minutes later, Kevin McLeod and his blue boots outsprinted Micky Barron down the flank. His cross was missed by Furlong and Gallen scored from six yards.

Two down and Cooper switched to 3-4-3, with Paul Robinson coming on. But it left more gaps at the back and QPR made the most of it.

Furlong made it three, getting past Westwood too easily, and a minute later came the fourth.

Provett saved a Gallen shot, but it went into the path of Rowlands who smashed the ball into the net.

Pool's goal came when Istead crossed from the right and Camp saved from both Porter and Humphreys before the Aussie lashed his second chance high into the net.